Sign



Feb. 11, 1930. v. HOFMANN SIGN 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Nbv. 4, 1927 Feb. 11, 1930.

v. 1.. HOFMANN SIGN Filed Nov. 4. 1927 2 Sheets- 8mmv Qwuemtoz Patented Feb. 11, 1930 UNITED STAl'fi tartan FATENT OFFICE VOLNEY L. HOIEMANN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO SIGN This invention relates to and has for an object to produce an advertising device which, although of extreme simplicity, is adaptable to an infinite number of usages both as to the interchangeability of the sign subject matter and the manner in which various effects may be produced as to the reading matter and display of the goods being advertised.

A further object is to produce a sign in which the construction is inexpensive as to in itial cost and in which the subsequently needed parts, accessories and additions will add but little to the cost of the sign.

A further object is to produce a sign which is also neat, and is especiahv designed to present an ornamental and attractive appear ance in conjunction with any of the other display matter of the goods being advertised.

These and other objects are attained in the sign described in the followin specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of an embodiment of the sign which I have devised.

Fig. 2 is a somewhat enlarged fragmental perspective View of a portion of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, but which really constitutes the basis of the invention 1 will describe.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the embodiment disclosed in Fig. 1, but arranged for a slightly different display.

Fig. i is a front elevation of a character or letter which is designed for use in my improved sign.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View upon an enlarged scale, taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2f, showing the construction of the letter 40 at this point.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken upon the line 6 6 of Fig. l, showing the provision which has been made for the attachment of the letter to the sign back ground.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the frame which constitutes the basis of the invention I have devised.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of 5 a fastener I employ to fasten the ornamental molding to the frame shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmental perspective view of the ornamental. molding I use to decorate the name shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged transverse sectional View taken on the line 1010 of 3, showing the manner in which the sign frame and decorative molding are attached to the casing which mounts them.

The basis upon which my invention rests is the idea of utilizing a frame consisting of two section 11 and 12, the former of which is within the other and which fits sufiiciently snugly to permit of the clamping and stretching of a piece of suitable fabric 13 over the inner frame 11 by means of the outer frame 12 as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and Upon this fabric the sign characters 14 are suitably attached, as by adhesive pins or other agents. This, briefly, constitutes the invention basis, although of course other features of novelty which will now be described, also contribute materially thereto to develop an inexpensive structure of marked utility, simplicity and beauty.

The use of fabric which is stretched over suitable clamping frames, is a feature permitting of the use of letters or sign characters in any desired position upon the fabric so that no set position is required, thereby permitting of the widest possible variation in sign character arrangement.

Such characters may be attached to the fabric in any suitable manner, as has been said, but I have especially chosen a type of mounting which attaches the character to the fabric so that detachment thereof may as readily be made and rearrangement of the characters accomplished without soiling or otherwise spoiling the fabric surface by showing the positions such characters have previously occupied on the fabric. This is done by providing the back surface of each character with one or more projecting pins or points 15 as shown in Fig. 6. Such pins or points are attached to the character in any suitable manner, although I have found a convenient character construction to incorporate the pins by making them in the form of double pointed staple-like elements which pass through the body 16 of the character 100 and are then crimped against the body as at points 17 and 18. Such a character is conveniently formed by making the body 16 of cardboard or similar material, which has a fabric reenforcement 19 on its face and against which the bar of the staple bears when in crimped position.- Over the assembled body 16, reenforcement 19 and staples 15, is then placed a surface layer or coating of material 20 designed to give the letter an attractive appearance. This may be a material which partakes of easy shaping characteristics such as celluloid, and may be of any desired color, shape or combination of colors. In attaching such characters to the fabric the pins may be bent after they have been placed through the fabric so that the character will not become displaced.

Because of the fact that the edges of the assembled frames and fabric do not present a very attractive appearance it is desirable to provide an ornamental molding 21 for the edges of the assembled frames and fabric. This, preferably, is detachable and its details have been shown in Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive. A convenient construction for such a molding consists in so forming a strip of sheet metal that it is provided with opposite sides 22 and of hook shape which face each other and hold a mass of hardened plastic 24 which has its surface worked and colored to present a pleasing appearance. This metal base material is folded back upon itself to leave a hollow interior 28 by bringing its edges 25 and 26 close together to form a slot 2'? which communicates with the hollow interior. In this slot and hollow interior I provide for the placing of a T shaped fastener which, as shown in Fig. 8, consists of a head 29 and parallel prongs 31 and 82. lVhile the fastener head 29 occupies tire hollow 28 the prongs 31 and 32 will occupy the slot 27, thus permitting the fastener to be moved to proper positions within the molding to bring the prongs into registration with cooperating grooves and 34 in the abutting faces of the frames 11 and 12. These grooves are together of a depth to take the prongs 31 and 32 of the fastener as wellas the thickness of the fabric which is stretched over the frames so that the fastener prongs may be pressed through the grooves and bent apart on the back edges of the frames to prevent displacement of the attached strips of molding 21 from the assembled frames, fabric and characters. Back edge grooves 35 and 36 may be provided in the frames 11 and 12, as well as grooves 37 and 38 on the outsides of the frames to receive the bent over prongs if so desired. The purpose of these four last mentioned grooves is to permit the fastener prongs to lie flush with the surfaces of the frames for a purpose which will appear. Thus the molding may be fastened at a number of points if desired, or the molding may be made up of a number of sections which join at their ends to form a continuous edging. For example, I may provide molding strips of different designs and lengths to meetthe requirements of the different signs to be made up, and with these strips I may provide standard corners 39 and 40, see Fig. 1, of different designs to match the strips, all of which will be constructed in the same manner and fastened as described.

In order that the sign units just described may be utilized to best advantage I have devised a display casing which is shown in Figs. 1 and 8. This casing is designed with an open front into which the frames are fitted, as shown in Fig. 1, with an arched or reflector-like top 41 which contains lamp bulbs 42 and 43 mounted in sockets 44 and 45 in the sides 46 and 47 of the casing. The top 41 is preferably pivoted at its front edge 48 so that the lamps and the interior of the casing may be reached. The rear edge of the top 41 closes against the back 49 of the casing and over the sides 46 and 47 to prevent escape of light. A flange 50, see Fig. 10, extends preferably aroundthe open front of the casing and constitutes a ledge against which the sign frames will bear. This ledge has short narrow slots 50 in it at spaced intervals regisering with the grooves 33 and 34 in the frames so that the prongs 31 and 32 of the fasteners will pass through them and permit the prongs to be bent into clamping engagement with the back face of the flange in order to fasten not only the frame but the molding 21 also simultaneously to the casing.

A feature to which I also call attention is the idea of being able to build up a group of frames to fit the casing front as shown in Fig. 1, each frame having its own edging of molding sections, thus giving a paneled effect of artistic merit. The frames of this group are fastened together by bolts and other suitable fasteners 51 located in holes 52 which are formed in the frames at standard distances apart so that the spacing of the holes will always bring them opposite each other in adjacent units regardless of the frame arrangement or grouping which may be decided upon. This idea is carried still further by providing the top and end edges of the casing with holes 53 correspondingly spaced, in which bolts may be located for securing frame units outside the casing but surrounding the central frame group contained within the casing opening. For example, if desired, a permanent frame unit may be attached to the top of the casing by means of bolts in the holes 53, which unit may bear the name of the advertiser of the trade name by which the advertised article is known.

The example of frame unit shown is rectangular, but it is of course quite obvious that such units may consist of cooperating inner and outer frame elements which are not rectangular, as for example circular, elliptical or other desirable shapes. Such shapes may be readily combined with themselves or the rectangular shapes to provide results not thought of until specific requirements are met. In all such special frame shapes the ornamental molding sections will of course be provided to match as to shape, and the fastening means by which the molding and frames are held together will be the same as that previously described.

Of course, the front opening of the casing as shown in Fig. 1 need not be closed wt-h the frame units if other effects are desired, because, if it be better adapted to the display to be made, these assembled frame units may be partially or entirely removed from the front opening and placed in tilted position within the casing as shown respectively in full and dotted lines 54 and 55 in Fig. 3. The lights 42 and 43 within the casing will be especially valuable when frame units of transparent or tanslucent characteristics occupy the front of the casing either wholly or in part, but none the less valuable when such frame units or groups of units are placed in such positions as 54 and 55 where the light will fall upon their faces, thus giving a shadow box effect so desirable in certain classes of advertising display matter.

This shadow box effect may be still further enhanced by providing that lights may even be placed back of the frame units occupying positions 54 and 55, holes 56 and 57 having been placed near the bottom of the casing to receive the lights in these positions in stead of at the top as shown in Fig. 1. Or, if desired, the lights may be used in both positions simultaneously and a light color combination scheme worked out.

F urther ideas may be developed, as for example the arrangement of a central cham-' ber within the casing for the actual display of the goods while the top and side spaces are occupied by sign character display. Of course, I have shown sign characters of letter formation, but it is obvious that numerals or ornamental display elements may be applied to the sign background or sight portion in the same manner as the letters which I have shown.

Another detail of relative unimportance is that the frame elements which occupy the positions 54 and 55 may be held against slippage or displacement by means of U-shaped spring clips or slides at the ends or corners of the frames, such clips being mounted by projecting pins in holes 58 and 59 in the casing sides, or in any other suitable manner.

Many other modifications, rearrangements, shapes, groupings, and the like may be employed, or the fabric background or sight portion upon which the characters are placed may be changed for renewal, cleaning, different effects, etc., as frequently as desired to produce translucent effects, transparent effects, opaqueness, and the like, with but slight cost and the expenditure of but little time and skill, all without having to resort to the services of an especially trained service man provided for such purposes.

Therefore, with these features in mind what I claim is:

1. A sign comprising a grooved outer frame, a groovedinner frame fitting the outer frame, a fabric stretched across the inner frame by clamping engagement of the outer frame with the edges of the fabric against the inner frame, characters adapted for attachment to the fabric, the grooves of the frames cooperating to form a slot when the frames are assembled, ornamental molding to form a frame covering the joint between the frames and the slot therethrough, and means on the molding extending through the slot and adapted to engage the rear edges of the frames to retain the molding, frames and fabric in assembled condition.

2. A sign comprising an outer frame, an inner frame fitting the outer frame, a fabric stretched across the inner frame by the outer frame, characters attached to the fabric, a molding surrounding the frame, and means securing the molding to the frame, said frames having grooves therein registering with each other when the frames are assembled, to form a slot to receive said means, said means having prongs to enter the slot and capable of being bent into engagement with the rear edges of the frames to retain the frames, the fabric and the molding in assembled condition.

8. A sign comprising a grooved outer frame, a grooved inner frame fitting the inner frame with the grooves registering to form a slot, a fabric stretched across the inner frame by clamping engagement of the outer frame with the edges of the fabric against the inner frame, characters to be attached to the fabric, a molding surrounding the frames, means having prongs passing through the slot for securing the molding detachably to the frames, and a second means having prongs passing through the fabric for securing the characters detachably, the prongs of both said means being capable of being bent against the rear face of the elements through which they pass to retain the elements in assembled condition.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

VOLNEY L. HOFMANN. 

